{"id":35917,"date":"2025-11-06T15:14:30","date_gmt":"2025-11-06T15:14:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/35917\/"},"modified":"2025-11-06T15:14:30","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T15:14:30","slug":"tampas-meals-on-wheels-names-new-ceo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/35917\/","title":{"rendered":"Tampa\u2019s Meals On Wheels names new CEO"},"content":{"rendered":"

When Mandy Cloninger walks into Meals On Wheels<\/a> of Tampa this December, she will be stepping into a legacy half a century in the making. <\/p>\n

The nonprofit<\/a> just celebrated its 50th anniversary, marking five decades of service to homebound residents and seniors across Tampa Bay<\/a>. At the same event, the organization announced Cloninger as its next chief executive officer.<\/p>\n

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She will succeed Steve King<\/a>, who is retiring after 20 years of leadership<\/a> that transformed the privately funded mission into one of Tampa\u2019s most trusted lifelines. King leaves behind a record of growth and community engagement that redefined what local service can look like.<\/p>\n

\"PortraitMandy Cloninger will become CEO of Meals On Wheels of Tampa, replacing longtime leader Steve King after two decades of service.<\/p>\n

A career built on purpose<\/p>\n

Cloninger is no stranger to that kind of work. Her career has been shaped by a purposeful approach, persistence and a profound understanding of how food brings people together. <\/p>\n

She most recently led her own firm, Relentless Partner Consulting, and previously served as Chief Impact Officer at Feeding Tampa Bay and Executive Director of Trinity Caf\u00e9, where she helped merge the organization under the Feeding Tampa Bay umbrella.<\/p>\n

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Her experience in leading nonprofit missions focused on food, hunger and health made her the unanimous choice of the Meals On Wheels<\/a> board. Ed Bass, president of the board, said the decision was clear. <\/p>\n

\u201cOur board was tremendously impressed with Mandy\u2019s skills and leadership abilities,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re extremely proud to have her lead our mission as we begin the next 50 years of serving our community.\u201d<\/p>\n

A mission of connection<\/p>\n

For Cloninger, the moment represents both continuity and renewal. She has long believed that fighting hunger is not just about meals but about dignity and connection. That philosophy mirrors Meals On Wheels\u2019 mission to deliver food and friendship to those who might otherwise be forgotten.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have seen firsthand how a simple act of service can restore hope,\u201d Cloninger said. \u201cMeals On Wheels represents the best of Tampa \u2014 compassion, consistency, and care.\u201d<\/p>\n

READ: Wagamama moving its U.S. headquarters to Tampa<\/a><\/p>\n

Her appointment also signals a new era for the organization. The needs of Tampa\u2019s aging population are growing rapidly, and the demand for Meals On Wheels\u2019 services continues to rise. <\/p>\n

Under King\u2019s leadership, the organization expanded routes, strengthened volunteer programs and modernized its delivery systems to meet that demand. Cloninger steps in at a time when the next chapter will require both vision and adaptability.<\/p>\n

\"SteveSteve King will retire at the end of 2025 after two decades leading Meals On Wheels of Tampa, marking the end of an era for one of the city\u2019s most respected nonprofit organizations.<\/p>\n

A legacy of service<\/p>\n

King said he could not imagine a better successor. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe need for our services \u2014 the food and friendship MOW provides on a daily basis \u2014 will only continue to increase in the years ahead,\u201d he said. \u201cMandy\u2019s background and experience, combined with her proven results in combating hunger in our community, make her a great choice to lead this mission forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meals On Wheels has been part of Tampa\u2019s civic heartbeat for five decades. Each day, its volunteers deliver not only meals but also human connection \u2014 a smile, a conversation, a reminder that someone cares. <\/p>\n

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Cloninger understands the weight and privilege of leading an organization built on that foundation. Her reputation in the nonprofit sector rests on collaboration and measurable impact. <\/p>\n

At Feeding Tampa Bay, she helped expand outreach and introduced data-driven strategies to improve service delivery. At Trinity Caf\u00e9, she guided the organization through growth and transformation while keeping its mission centered on hospitality and respect.<\/p>\n

Looking ahead<\/p>\n

As she prepares to take the helm, Cloninger sees her role as both steward and innovator. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis organization has an incredible history,\u201d she said. \u201cMy goal is to honor that while helping us grow in new ways that meet the needs of tomorrow\u2019s Tampa.\u201d<\/p>\n

That balance \u2014 preserving legacy while pursuing progress \u2014 defines Cloninger\u2019s approach. Her leadership reflects the same combination of empathy and pragmatism that Meals On Wheels has embodied for 50 years.<\/p>\n

READ: Tampa Bay coworking market ranks 29th in U.S., 3rd in Florida<\/a><\/p>\n

For King, whose leadership helped the organization earn citywide recognition, the transition is personal. \u201cI\u2019ve known and admired Mandy as a colleague for many years,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m excited both for Meals On Wheels and for her. The mission is in good hands.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meals On Wheels of Tampa now looks toward its next half-century with optimism. Under Cloninger\u2019s guidance, its mission of serving food, friendship and dignity to homebound neighbors is poised to reach even more people across the community.<\/p>\n

As the city continues to grow, so too does the organization that has quietly sustained it \u2014 one meal, one visit and one act of kindness at a time.<\/p>\n

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Read more TBBW stories<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When Mandy Cloninger walks into Meals On Wheels of Tampa this December, she will be stepping into a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":35918,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[21096,385,276,24915,24916,24917,24918,5131,24919,135,5134,137,136,393],"class_list":["post-35917","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tampa","tag-community-service","tag-featured-business-news","tag-hillsborough-county","tag-leadership-transition","tag-local-nonprofits","tag-mandy-cloninger","tag-meals-on-wheels-tampa","tag-nonprofit-leadership","tag-steve-king","tag-tampa","tag-tampa-bay-community","tag-tampa-headlines","tag-tampa-news","tag-tampa-philanthropy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35917","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35917"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35917\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35918"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35917"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35917"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35917"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}